Chapter 5 : The Line We Shouldn’t Cross
Alina’s POV
Dinner lasted another hour after my mother returned.
An hour that felt much longer than it should have.
The conversation stayed light—safe topics about work, travel, and future plans—but the tension from earlier never completely disappeared.
At least not for me.
My mother seemed perfectly comfortable, laughing softly and asking Dominic questions about his company and the places he had traveled to.
Dominic answered patiently, his voice calm and controlled.
But every once in a while, when my mother looked away…
His gaze would shift to me.
And stay there.
Not openly enough for my mother to notice.
But long enough that I noticed.
And that was the problem.
Because every time our eyes met, something in my chest tightened.
Something unfamiliar.
Something dangerous.
Finally, my mother placed her napkin on the table and smiled warmly.
“This was wonderful,” she said. “Thank you for inviting us.”
Dominic nodded politely.
“The pleasure was mine.”
We all stood from the table.
The restaurant had grown quieter as the evening stretched on. Most of the guests had already left, leaving only a few soft conversations drifting through the dimly lit room.
The golden lighting reflected against the polished floor, creating an atmosphere that felt far too intimate for my comfort.
Too quiet.
Too close.
Dominic walked us toward the exit.
He held the door open as we stepped outside.
The cool night air brushed against my skin, instantly relieving the suffocating tension from inside the restaurant.
A sleek black car waited by the curb.
The kind of car that looked expensive even in the dim streetlight.
“My driver will take you home,” Dominic said calmly.
“That’s not necessary,” I replied quickly.
My mother chuckled beside me.
“Don’t be rude, Alina.”
“I’m not being rude,” I protested softly. “I just think it’s unnecessary.”
“It’s late,” Dominic said simply. “Let me help.”
His tone wasn’t forceful.
But something about it made arguing feel pointless.
A few minutes later, we were seated in the back of the car.
My mother sat between us, completely unaware of the silent tension filling the space.
She talked happily during most of the ride, her excitement practically glowing.
“We should look at venues this weekend,” she said. “I saw a beautiful garden hall near the river.”
“That sounds lovely,” Dominic replied.
“And flowers,” she continued. “I’ve always loved white roses.”
“They would suit you.”
She laughed softly, clearly pleased.
I sat quietly beside the window, watching the blurred city lights pass by.
My mind was too busy replaying every moment from tonight.
The elevator.
His eyes.
The strange awareness that seemed to exist between us.
I hated how aware of him I was.
Even now.
Even with my mother sitting between us.
I could feel his presence like a quiet gravity pulling at my attention.
By the time the car stopped in front of our apartment building, I felt emotionally exhausted.
The driver stepped out and opened the door for us.
“Thank you for dinner,” my mother said warmly as we stepped onto the sidewalk.
“It was lovely.”
Dominic inclined his head slightly.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
For a moment, the three of us stood there under the glow of a nearby streetlamp.
The city around us had grown quieter.
A cool breeze moved through the empty street.
Then suddenly my mother looked down.
“Oh no.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“My purse.”
She turned around quickly, panic flickering across her face.
“I left it in the car.”
The driver had already begun pulling away from the curb.
“I’ll go get it,” she said quickly, stepping toward the street.
“Mom—”
But she was already hurrying after the car.
And just like that…
I was standing alone with Dominic again.
The silence between us felt heavier this time.
More deliberate.
I folded my arms lightly across my chest.
“You don’t look surprised.”
“About what?”
“That she left us alone again.”
His lips curved slightly.
“I didn’t plan it.”
“I didn’t say you did.”
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
The streetlights cast long shadows across the pavement, and the city around us felt strangely quiet.
Almost like the world had stepped back and left the two of us alone in it.
“You’ve been avoiding looking at me,” he said finally.
I frowned.
“I have not.”
“You have.”
“Well,” I said stiffly, “maybe I have a good reason.”
His gaze sharpened slightly.
“Which is?”
I hesitated.
Because the real reason sounded ridiculous even in my own head.
“You’re about to marry my mother,” I said quietly.
“Yes.”
“And yesterday we were… trapped in an elevator together.”
“Yes.”
“And you don’t see how strange that is?”
Dominic took a step closer.
Not threatening.
Just closer.
“Strange?” he repeated thoughtfully.
“Yes.”
His eyes held mine steadily.
“I’d call it interesting.”
My heart skipped.
“That’s not funny.”
“I’m not joking.”
He took another step closer.
Now the distance between us was small enough that I could clearly see the faint shadow of stubble along his jaw.
The sharp line of his cheekbones.
The quiet intensity in his eyes.
“You’re not even trying to make this less awkward,” I said.
“And how would you like me to do that?”
“By pretending last night didn’t happen.”
His gaze darkened slightly.
“But it did happen.”
The quiet certainty in his voice made my chest tighten.
I forced myself to step back.
“We should probably keep some distance.”
“Distance?” he repeated.
“Yes.”
“For your mother’s sake?”
“Yes.”
He studied my face carefully.
The silence stretched longer than I expected.
Then he said something that made my pulse jump.
“And for yours?”
My breath caught.
Because that was the real problem.
It wasn’t just about my mother.
It was about the way my pulse sped up whenever he looked at me like this.
The way the air between us felt heavier when he stood too close.
Before I could answer, my mother’s voice suddenly called from behind us.
“Found it!”
She walked back toward us, slightly out of breath, holding her purse triumphantly.
“Sorry about that.”
Dominic stepped away from me smoothly, as if nothing unusual had happened.
His calm composure returned instantly.
“No problem.”
My mother smiled warmly.
“Dominic, you really are too kind.”
He gave a polite nod.
“It’s the least I can do.”
A few minutes later, my mother and I were walking toward our apartment entrance.
She chatted lightly beside me, still talking about wedding plans and decorations.
But I barely heard any of it.
Because something about tonight had shifted.
Something subtle.
Something dangerous.
Just before we reached the door, I glanced back.
Dominic was still standing near his car.
Watching us.
And even from that distance…
I could feel the weight of his gaze.
Something about tonight had changed.
The tension between us was no longer accidental.
And deep down, I had the unsettling feeling that Dominic Vale wasn’t trying to avoid crossing the line between us.
He was simply waiting to see…
Who would cross it first.
